as in shiver
an instance of shaking involuntarily with fear or cold
a shudder ran through him as he stepped outside into the snow
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in to shake
to make a series of small irregular or violent movements
huddled in the basement, we shuddered with fear as we heard the approaching tornado
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shudder
Inu Manak, Time, 16 Jan. 2026
To be frank, Bug is a nightmarish experience — but not in an overt, shudder-inducing way.
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Jan. 2026
Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2026
Later, when Tristan gently put his hand on Marke’s shoulder, the king shuddered.
—Scott Cantrell, Dallas Morning News, 3 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shudder
Noun
The age of trade protectionism returned to America in 2025 with the shudder of a closing customs gate.
—Inu Manak, Time, 16 Jan. 2026
To be frank, Bug is a nightmarish experience — but not in an overt, shudder-inducing way.
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Jan. 2026
Verb
Someone suggests aguachile, a word that makes Top Chef fans everywhere — or maybe just me — shudder in Pavlovian irritation given its ubiquity in this competition.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2026
Later, when Tristan gently put his hand on Marke’s shoulder, the king shuddered.
—Scott Cantrell, Dallas Morning News, 3 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shudder
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shudder
Noun
-
Miller wrote the play long before the rise of artificial intelligence sent shivers through the American workforce.—
Chris Jones,
New York Daily News,
10 Apr. 2026
-
And some shivers, because that title isn’t a misdirect.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The boom could be loud enough to shake windows in some areas.—
Jayne Yutig,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Apr. 2026
-
The group composes its own sacred music, lilting songs that prompt women in green-and-white wraparounds to vigorously shake their bodies.—
Rodney Muhumuza,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Furman is one of a kind: a trans, devoutly Jewish former rabbinical student who’s written a book about Lou Reed and sings folk-punk songs in a mercurial tremble.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
22 May 2025
-
Valeria leaves guard duties to Ellen, a grandmother with a constant tremble in her hands from her MS.—
James Grebey,
Vulture,
17 Oct. 2024
Verb
-
In a viral video of the aftermath, the robot jerks back and forth to shake the glass off, showering yet more dangerous shards onto the sidewalk.—
Frank Landymore,
Futurism,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Tony Fauci was not just jerking the country around.—
David Blumenthal,
Fortune,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The child had jumped at the sting, her bottom lip quivering.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Mar. 2026
-
Risk factors for cardiac arrest A frequent trigger is rhythm disturbance—especially ventricular fibrillation—in which the heart quivers instead of beating effectively.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But that he – along with fellow Pittsburgher Wiz Khalifa and country star Kane Brown – has been tapped to perform during the 2026 NFL Draft in his hometown has the gregarious rocker vibrating with glee.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
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Fitbits also feature silent alarms; the tracker will vibrate at a specific time and gently wake you up without disturbing others.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shudder.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shudder. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
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